Support a Limit on Carbon Emissions from Power Plants

Pennsylvania accounts for 1 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases and is the United States’ third-highest emitter. Seven Pennsylvania coal plants rank among the 100 highest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Power plants are responsible for over two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is the largest single source of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities.

Without a limit on carbon emissions, the public health of Pennsylvanians continues to be threatened. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, at least 31 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties suffer from unhealthy levels of smog, a harmful air pollutant that reduces lung functioning.

Sign our petition now and tell Senator Toomey to protect public health and reduce carbon emissions from power plants in Pennsylvania!

Even more troubling is the fact that these adverse health impacts are not evenly distributed. With Philadelphia projected to have 6 extra days per summer that exceed EPA’s air quality standards by 2050, low-income and minority populations, who are more likely to reside in urban areas, are disproportionately exposed to smog. African Americans children have a 70 percent higher prevalence of asthma than white children.

Senator Pat Toomey is leading the charge of coal-loving elected officials from Pennsylvania who prize coal’s “historic significance” over the immediate health of their constituents. In urging the President to stop the EPA from finalizing new regulations to limit carbon emissions from new power plants, Sen. Toomey falsely claims a limit on emissions “unnecessarily harms economic growth.”

Polluters must be held accountable. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must be allowed to limit carbon emissions from power plants. Pennsylvanians must stand up for the EPA’s ability to create life-saving, health protecting pollution standards!

Sign the petition now to tell Senator Toomey to protect public health and reduce carbon emissions from power plants in Pennsylvania!

Letter to

SenatorPat Toomey

A limit on carbon emissions from power plants is long overdue for Pennsylvania. Seven Pennsylvania coal plants rank among the 100 highest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As a result, Pennsylvania accounts for 1 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases and is the United States’ third-highest emitter.

This poses a unique challenge to the public health of Pennsylvanians. As conditions worsen, residents will increasingly experience adverse health impacts from declining air quality, dangerous heat-levels, and severe storms. Raising temperatures will increase the number of days with poor air quality, exacerbating an already precarious issue for the state. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, at least 31 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties presently suffer from unhealthy smog levels.

It is simply wrong to assume that the only way to promote economic growth is to protect high pollution levels from coal-burning power plants. Please keep in mind, the state’s poor air quality already imposes a considerable economic cost. Air pollution leads to approximately 800,000 missed workdays each year in Pennsylvania, increasing hospital visits and driving up health care cost.

Please support the EPA’s ability to limit carbon emissions from power plants. Your leadership is essential to addressing this critical issue.